The present invention relates to novel textile laundry treatment formulations, for example, for use in home or institutional laundering compositions. More specifically, the present invention provides for a detergent which comprises an alkaline cellulase which is formulated to achieve optimum activity from the cellulase.
Cellulases are enzymes which are capable of the hydrolysis of the xcex2-D-glucosidic linkages in celluloses. Cellulolytic enzymes have been traditionally divided into three major classes: endoglucanases, exoglucanases or cellobiohydrolases and xcex2-glucosidases (Knowles, J. et al., (1987), TIBTECH 5, 255-261) and are known to be produced by a large number of bacteria, yeasts and fungi.
Primary among the applications that have been developed for the use of cellulolytic enzymes are those involving degrading (wood) cellulose pulp into sugars for (bio)ethanol production, textile treatments like xe2x80x98stone washingxe2x80x99 and xe2x80x98biopolishingxe2x80x99, and in detergent compositions. Thus, cellulases are known to be useful in detergent compositions for removing dirt, i.e., cleaning. For example, Great Britain Application Nos. 2,075,028, 2,095,275 and 2,094,826 illustrate improved cleaning performance when detergents incorporate cellulase. Additionally, Great Britain Application No. 1,358,599 illustrates the use of cellulase in detergents to reduce the harshness of cotton containing fabrics.
Another useful feature of cellulases in the treatment of textiles is their ability to recondition used fabrics by making their colors more vibrant. For example, repeated washing of cotton containing fabrics results in a greyish cast to the fabric which is believed to be due to disrupted and disordered fibrils, sometimes called xe2x80x9cpillsxe2x80x9d, caused by mechanical action. This greyish cast is particularly noticeable on colored fabrics. As a consequence, the ability of cellulase to remove the disordered top layer of the fiber and thus improve the overall appearance of the fabric has been of value.
Because detergents, being a primary application of cellulase, operate generally under alkaline conditions there is a strong demand for cellulases which have excellent activity at pH 8-11.5. Well characterized fungal cellulases, such as those from Humicola insolens and Trichoderna reesei, perform adequately at neutral to low alkaline pH. However, a number of enzymes that show cellulase activity at high alkaline pH have been isolated from Bacillus and other prokaryotes, see e.g., EP Publication Nos. 468 464 and EP 510 091, PCT Publication Nos. WO 93/12224, WO 96/34092 and WO 96/34108. Cellulases isolated from Actinomycetes, have also attracted some attention. Wilson et al., Critical Reviews in Biotechnology, Vol. 12, pp. 45-63 (1992), studied the cellulases produced by the Thermomonospora fusca, Thermonomospora curvata and Microbispora bispora and illustrated that many of these cellulases show broad pH profiles and good temperature stability. Similarly, Nakai et al., Agric. Biol. Chem., Vol. 51, pp. 3061-3065 (1987) and Nakai et al., Gene, Vol. 65, pp. 229-238 (1988) exemplify the alkalitolerant cellulase casA from Streptomyces strain KSM-9 which also possesses an alkaline pH optimum and excellent temperature stability. Thus, both fungal and bacterial cellulases have been investigated thoroughly.
EP Publication No. 173 397 discloses detergent compositions comprising a cationic softening agent and a fungal cellulolytic enzyme.
EP Publication No. 269 168 (Proctor and Gamble) describes a detergent composition which comprises a surface active agent of which at least 50% is an anionic surfactant and a cellulase, which has a pH, in 1% distilled water, of from 6.5 to 9.5 and are essentially free of long chain alkyl amine softening agents, or derivatives thereof.
EP Publication No. 269 169 describes a detergent composition which comprises 0.1% to 1% of an alkoxylated polyamine, and in that the pH of a 1% solution of the detergent compositions in distilled water is from 6.5 to 9.5.
EP Publication No. 320 296 describes softening additives for detergent compositions comprising a water soluble nonionic ethyl hydroxyethyl cellulose having an HLB of 3.3 to 3.8, a dp of 50 to 1200 and a ds of 1.9 to 2.9. Enzymes including cellulolytic enzymes are disclosed.
EP Publication No. 383 828 describes a granular detergent composition containing a fabric softening clay material, and cellulase granulates containing from 1% to 50%, by weight, preferably 5% to 15% of the granulates, of calcium carbonate.
PCT Publication No WO 96/20997 discloses a detergent composition comprising at least 1% of a surfactant system, characterized in that the system comprises a nonionic polysaccharide ether having a 1,4 xcex2-glucosidic bond, a degree of polymerization of 100 or more and a degree of substitution of from 0.5 to 2.8 inclusive of mixtures thereof, in combination with a cellulolytic enzyme.
PCT Publication No. 97/32958 describes an aqueous surfactant composition comprising (1) 1-5% of a surfactant selected from the group consisting of anionic, nonionic, cationic, zwitterionic and amphoteric surfactants and mixtures thereof; (2) a ternary system for stabilizing system for stabilizing Endoglucanase III comprising (a) 0.1-10% water soluble hydrophobic nonionic polymer; (b) 5-25% of a C2-C6 allkylene glycol; and (c) 0.1-7% of a hydrophilic amine; and (3) a cellulase comprising 0.001-5.0% by wt of Endoglucanase III or variants thereof, wherein the fatty acid content is below about 5%.
PCT Publication No. 96/12781 describes a detergent composition comprising (a) a surfactant selected from anionic, nonionic, cationic, amphoteric and zwitterionic detergent-active compounds and mixtures thereof; (b) a detergency builder comprising zeolite P having a silicon to aluminum ratio not greater than 1.33 (zeolite MAP); and (c) a cellulolytic enzyme.
Despite the extent of previous work in the field of cellulases, the industry continues to seek new and improved formulations of and methods of delivering cellulase compositions to target applications. Pursuant to their research, the inventors herein have discovered that certain formulations of builder and detergent are optimal for alkaline cellulases.
It is an object of the invention to provide for a textile treatment composition comprising an alkaline cellulase, which composition has improved characteristics.
It is a further object of the invention to provide for a textile treatment composition comprising an alkaline cellulase, which composition facilitates improved performance of the cellulase.
According to the invention, a textile treatment composition comprising an alkaline cellulase is provided, wherein a builder is included which does not comprise a substantial amount of zeolite. Preferably the builder is an phosphate type builder.
Also according to the invention, a composition for treating textiles is provided comprising: (a) 3-25% by weight water; (b) 20-50% by weight alcohol ethoxylate; (c) 5-30% by weight soda ash; (d) 20-50% by weight phosphate type builder; and (e) an alkaline cellulase. Preferably, the composition further comprises a pH of between 8 and 11.5 upon dilution in a wash liquor. Also preferably, the alkaline cellulase is of bacterial origin, most preferably from Bacillus or Actinomyces.
In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the textile treatment composition comprises a detergent and is used in the laundering of soiled clothing. In yet another particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the textile treatment composition comprises a stonewashing composition for the stonewashing of cellulose containing fabrics. In yet another embodiment of the invention, the textile treatment composition comprises a pre-wash composition. In yet another embodiment, the textile treatment composition comprises a laundry softening composition.
In another embodiment of the invention, a method is provided for treating a textile, comprising obtaining a textile treatment composition comprising (a) 3-25% water; (b) 20-50% alcohol ethoxylate; (c) 5-30% soda ash; (d) 20-50% of an phosphate type builder; and (e) an alkaline cellulase, adding said composition to water to produce an aqueous laundry bath and contacting said laundry bath with soiled laundry.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method of treating textiles is provided comprising the steps of: (a) preparing an aqueous solution; (b) adding to said aqueous solution a textile treatment composition comprising: (i) 3-25% water; (ii) 20-50% alcohol ethoxylate; (iii) 5-30% soda ash; (iv) 20-50% phosphate type builder; and (v) an alkaline cellulase to make a textile treatment solution; (c) adding a textile garment, yam or fabric to the textile treatment solution and allowing the textile treatment solution to contact the garment, yam or fabric for a sufficient time and under sufficient conditions to treat the textile garment, yam or fabric. Preferably the textile comprises a cellulosic material, more preferably a cotton containing material.